Manasi Girishchandra Joshi (born 11 June 1989) is an Indian para-badminton player.[3] She is a former world champion in para badminton women's singles SL3 category. On 8 March 2022, she was ranked world No.1 in women's singles SL3 category .[4]

Manasi Joshi
Personal information
Country India
Born (1989-06-11) 11 June 1989 (age 34)[1]
Rajkot, Gujarat, India
Height171 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Weight66 kg (146 lb)[2]
Women's singles SL3
Women's doubles SL3–SU5
Mixed doubles SL3–SU5
Highest ranking1 (WS 6 March 2022)
5 (WD with Shantiya Viswanathan 22 August 2022)
1 (XD with Ruthick Ragupathi 4 July 2022)
Current ranking1 (WS)
5 (WD with Shantiya Viswanathan)
2 (XD with Ruthick Ragupathi) (8 November 2022)
Medal record
Women's para-badminton
Representing  India
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2019 Basel Women's singles
Silver medal – second place 2015 Stoke Mandeville Mixed doubles
Silver medal – second place 2024 Pattaya Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Ulsan Women's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Tokyo Women's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Tokyo Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Pattaya Women's singles
Asian Para Games
Silver medal – second place 2022 Hangzhou Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Jakarta Women's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Hangzhou Women's singles
Asian Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Beijing Women's singles

Early life and background edit

Manasi was born in Rajkot, Gujarat and she was raised in Anushaktinagar, Mumbai. She graduated in Electronics Engineering from K. J. Somaiya College of Engineering, University of Mumbai, in 2010. A sports lover, Manasi played football and badminton in her school and college life. Joshi started playing badminton when she was six along with her father, a retired scientist from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. Over the years she represented her school, college and corporate at various tournaments. After finishing graduation in 2010, she worked as a software engineer until December 2011.

Accident edit

In December 2011, she met with a road accident while riding her motorbike to work, and her leg had to be amputated.[5][6][7] After 45 days of hospitalisation, Manasi got discharged from MGM hospital Vashi, Navi Mumbai.[8] During 2012-2013 after her accident, Manasi started practicing yoga, meditation and badminton to regain her fitness. She played badminton as part of her rehabilitation and another para-badminton player urged her to try out for the national team.

Career edit

Joshi started her sporting journey in 2015 and in 2020, she was ranked world No.2 in women's singles SL3 category.[9][10][11] She was selected for Asian Para-Games 2014 and played her first international tournament in Spain.[7] In 2018, she asked Pullela Gopichand to coach her,[7] and enrolled in his badminton academy at Hyderabad.[12] In September 2015, Joshi won a silver medal in mixed doubles at the Para-Badminton World Championship held in Stoke Mandeville, England.[13][14] In October 2018, she won a bronze medal for India at the Asian Para Games 2018, held in Jakarta, Indonesia. In August 2019, at the Para-Badminton World Championship 2019 in Basel, Switzerland, she won a gold medal.[7][15] She won a silver medal in the doubles along with Thulasimathi Murugesan and a bronze in the singles SL3 in the 2022 Asian Para Games at Gangzhou, China.[16][17]

Awards and recognition edit

Manasi was listed as the Next Generation Leader 2020 by TIME Magazine in October 2020 and she appeared on their Asia cover, making her the first para-athlete in the world and the first Indian athlete to be featured on the magazine's cover, for being an advocate of rights for people with disabilities.[11]

On the occasion of the International Day of Girl Child (11 October 2020), Barbie celebrated Manasi and her achievements by modelling a one-of-a-kind Barbie doll to her likeness to inspire young girls.[18] She has also been recognized by BBC as one of the 100 most inspirational & powerful women across the world in 2020 and was nominated for the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year Award of 2020 alongside P. V. Sindhu, Mary Kom, Vinesh Phogat and Dutee Chand.[19][20]

  • 2017 - Maharashtra Rajya Eklavya Khel Krida Puraskar (Highest State honour)
  • 2019 - National award for Best Sportsperson with Disability (female)[21]
  • 2019 - Differently abled athlete of the year award at ESPN India Awards[22]
  • 2019 - Times of India Sports award for Best para-athlete of the year[23]
  • 2019 - Aces 2020 Sportswoman of the Year (Para-sports) Hindu Newspaper (Nominee)[24]
  • 2019 – BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year[20]
  • 2020 – TIME Next Generation Leader[11]
  • 2020 - BBC 100 Women[25]
  • 2020 – Forbes India, Self-made Women of 2020[26]

Achievements edit

World Championships edit

Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2017 St. Jakobshalle, Basel, Switzerland   Parul Parmar 12–21, 7–21   Bronze
2019 Dongchun Gymnasium, Ulsan, South Korea   Parul Parmar 21–12, 21–7   Gold
2022 Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan   Oksana Kozyna 18–21, 18–21   Bronze
2024 Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall, Pattaya, Thailand   Qonitah Ikhtiar Syakuroh 12–21, 12–21   Bronze

Women’s doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2024 Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall,
Pattaya, Thailand
  Thulasimathi Murugesan   Leani Ratri Oktila
  Khalimatus Sadiyah
20–22, 17–21   Silver

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2015 Stoke Mandeville Stadium,
Stoke Mandeville, England
  Rakesh Pandey   Raj Kumar
  Parul Parmar
10–21, 19–21   Silver
2022 Yoyogi National Gymnasium,
Tokyo, Japan
  Ruthick Ragupathi   Fredy Setiawan
  Khalimatus Sadiyah
10–21, 8–21   Bronze

Asian Para Games edit

Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2018 Istora Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, Indonesia   Parul Parmar 13–21, 12–21   Bronze

Asian Championships edit

Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2016 China Administration of Sport for Persons with Disabilities, Beijing, China   Asami Yamada 21–11, 21–7   Bronze
  Wandee Kamtam 14–21, 12–21
  Parul Parmar 8–21, 7–21

BWF Para Badminton World Circuit (5 titles, 6 runners-up) edit

The BWF Para Badminton World Circuit – Grade 2, Level 1, 2 and 3 tournaments has been sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation from 2022.[27][28]

Women's singles

Year Tournament Level Opponent Score Result
2022 Spanish Para Badminton International II Level 2   Mandeep Kaur 21–10, 21–13   Winner
2022[a] Spanish Para Badminton International Level 1   Coraline Bergeron Walkover   Winner
  Mandeep Kaur 21–13, 21–16
  Noriko Ito 21–9, 21–7
  Parul Parmar 21–12, 21–17
2022 Dubai Para Badminton International Level 2   Mandeep Kaur 16–21, 24–22, 21–14   Winner
2022[b] Canada Para Badminton International Level 1   Parul Parmar 21–14, 21–19   Winner
  Coraline Bergeron 21–14, 21–17
  Oksana Kozyna 21–18, 15–21, 22–20
  Noriko Ito 21–14, 21–10
2022 Thailand Para Badminton International Level 1   Mandeep Kaur 22–20, 19–21, 14–21   Runner-up

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result
2022 Spanish Para Badminton International II Level 2   Shanthiya Viswanathan   Mandeep Kaur
  Manisha Ramdass
21–14, 21–23, 12–21   Runner-up
2022 Thailand Para Badminton International Level 1   Shanthiya Viswanathan   Nipada Saensupa
  Chanida Srinavakul
20–22, 19–21   Runner-up
2023 Brazil Para-Badminton International Level 2   Thulasimathi Murugesan   Mandeep Kaur
  Manisha Ramadass
21–11, 21–10   Winner

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Level Partner Opponent Score Result
2022 Spanish Para Badminton International II Level 2   Ruthick Ragupathi   Pramod Bhagat
  Palak Kohli
21–14, 11–21, 14–21   Runner-up
2022 Spanish Para Badminton International Level 1   Ruthick Ragupathi   Raj Kumar
  Parul Parmar
17–21, 18–21   Runner-up
2022 Thailand Para Badminton International Level 1   Ruthick Ragupathi   Lucas Mazur
  Faustine Noël
21–17, 15–21, 7–21   Runner-up

International tournaments (7 titles, 8 runners-up) edit

Women's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
2016[c] Irish Para Badminton International   Nicola Tustain 21–11, 21–9   Runner-up
  Asami Yamada 21–11, 21–9
  Katarzyna Ziębik 21–12, 11–21, 21–10
2018[d] Spanish Para Badminton International   Darunee Henpraiwan 12–21, 21–17, 21–19   Winner
  Asami Yamada 21–15, 21–17
  Katarzyna Ziębik 23–21, 21–18
2018 Japan Para Badminton International   Noriko Ito 16–21, 21–18, 21–3   Winner
2018 Australia Para Badminton International   Noriko Ito 21–13, 21–12   Winner
2019 Turkish Para Badminton International   Parul Parmar 8–21, 16–21   Runner-up
2019 Dubai Para Badminton International   Parul Parmar 12–21, 19–21   Runner-up
2019 Uganda Para Badminton International   Parul Parmar 14–21, 12–21   Runner-up
2019 Canada Para Badminton International   Parul Parmar 12–21, 7–21   Runner-up
2021 Dubai Para Badminton International   Oksana Kozyna 10–21, 17–21   Runner-up
2021 Uganda Para Badminton International   Parul Parmar 21–7, 21–16   Winner

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
2017 Japan Para Badminton International   Yang Qiuxia   Helle Sofie Sagøy
  Katrin Seibert
23–21, 21–15   Winner
2018 Spanish Para Badminton International   Mamiko Toyoda   Helle Sofie Sagøy
  Katrin Seibert
19–21, 12–21   Runner-up
2018 Dubai Para Badminton International   Zehra Bağlar   Faustine Noël
  Leani Ratri Oktila
17–21, 7–21   Runner-up
2019 Uganda Para Badminton International   Zehra Bağlar   Palak Kohli
  Parul Parmar
15–21, 21–16, 15–21   Winner

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
2021 Uganda Para Badminton International   Ruthick Ragupathi   Pramod Bhagat
  Palak Kohli
21–19, 21–16   Winner

References edit

  1. ^ "BWF Para-Badminton Classification Master List" (PDF). BWF. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 August 2018.
  2. ^ "Manasi Joshi-Indian Para-athlete" (PDF). Maharashtra Badminton Association.
  3. ^ "90% of India can't afford high-end prostheses: Para athlete Manasi Joshi". Hindustan Times. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Para-shuttler Manasi Joshi becomes the new badminton World No. 1 https://thebridge.in/badminton/para-shuttler-manasi-joshi-badminton-world-number-1-29855". www.thebridge.in. The Bridge. Archived from the original on 10 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  5. ^ Subrahmanyam, V. V. (8 August 2018). "Manasi in search of an Asiad medal". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  6. ^ "At 22, She Lost Her Leg. At 26, Manasi Joshi Was an International Level Para-Badminton Player!". The Better India. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d Perera, Ayeshea (4 February 2020). "Manasi Joshi: The accident that created a world champion". BBC News.
  8. ^ "Manasi Joshi: The accident that created a world champion". BBC News. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  9. ^ "Para-Badminton World Ranking Singles".
  10. ^ "BBC 100 Women 2020: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  11. ^ a b c Kidangoor, Abhishyant. "This Badminton Star Is Fighting For Disability Rights in India". time.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Who Is Manasi Joshi: Gold Medalist At Para World Badminton Championship 2019". Sakshipost. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  13. ^ "Who is Manasi Joshi, who won gold at BWF Para Badminton World Championships?". The Week. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Success Stories: Office of The State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Government of Meghalaya". megscpwd.gov.in. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  15. ^ "World Para Badminton Championships Title a Dream Come True: Manasi Joshi". News 18. IANS. 25 August 2019.
  16. ^ "PM congratulates Manasi Nayana Joshi, Thulasimathi Murugesan for winning silver in women's doubles Badminton at Asian Para Games". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Asian Para Games 2023, Day 2 Highlights: Medal rush continues as India win 17 medals, including 3 gold". The Times of India. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Barbie doll modelled after para-badminton champ Manasi Joshi | Ahmedabad News - Times of India". The Times of India. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  19. ^ "BBC 100 Women 2020: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Indian Sportswoman of the Year nominees revealed". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  21. ^ admin. "Winners of National Disability Awards 2019!". Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  22. ^ "Sindhu, Saurabh win ESPN Indias player of year award". outlookindia.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  23. ^ "TOISA 2019: Happy that my efforts are helping me get recognition, says Para-athlete of the Year Manasi Joshi - Times of India". The Times of India. 8 March 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  24. ^ Sportstar, Team. "Sportstar ACES Awards 2020 - As it happened". Sportstar. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  25. ^ "BBC 100 Women 2020: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  26. ^ "Self-Made Women 2020: India's top women achievers". Forbes India. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  27. ^ "Para Badminton Tournament Structure Bids for Tournaments 2022 Onwards". Badminton World Federation. 29 May 2022.
  28. ^ "BWF Para Tournamentsoftware". Badminton World Federation. 11 July 2022.

Notes edit

  1. ^ This tournament uses a round robin system.
  2. ^ This tournament uses a round robin system.
  3. ^ This tournament uses a round robin system.
  4. ^ This tournament uses a round robin system.